Friday, January 22, 2016

Making a Difference

The wild weather we have been experiencing around the world has me
thinking about climate change and ways we can do something about it. I've come
across some very interesting articles recently that illustrate possibilities.

Most urban trees grow yards; they belong to
individuals, but we all benefit from them. Rain falling onto branches and
leaves is dispersed, meaning gradual absorption into the soil as opposed to
sheeting over the ground that causes erosion and flooding.

Making Do .
. . - reminded me of the times I sat with my grandmother while she
darned socks or sewed on buttons.

And then, there was this from a book I've been reading:

[O]ld quilts made from recycled fabrics
reminded Japanese needlewomen of the past, of the days when their mothers
patched clothing or made household items from scraps. It didn't matter that
these quilts had tears or worn patches in them, this was part of their charm.
We Japanese have traditionally cherished old fabrics, and the idea of creating
something artistic and useful from scraps appealed to our ideal of beauty. (Japanese
Quilts by Jill Liddell & Yuko Watanabe (c) 1988, p ix)

It ties in, of course, to using recycled, found, and vintage materials in my work.

What do you think? Is there something you would like to suggest to others?

Until next time, I wish you peace.

(Note: I provide links
to you only as a convenience, and the inclusion of any link does not imply
affiliation by me with any site.)